Amidst the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State, the State House of Assembly passed four bills on Friday, aiming to diminish the governor’s authority to appoint caretaker chairmen for local government areas. The legislators, aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Abuja, passed these bills without the approval of Governor Sim Fubara.
These bills include amendments to the Rivers Local Government Law, Traditional Rulers Law, Advertisement and Use of State Owned Property Law repeal, and Funds Management and Financial Autonomy Law. The lawmakers utilized Section 100 subsection 5 to override the governor’s assent, asserting that his approval was not necessary for the bills’ enactment. Speaker Martin Amaewhule, during the plenary, disclosed that the governor had declined his assent to the four bills in letters addressed to him.
He reminded his colleagues the provision of the law in section 100 sub-section 5 which stated that “where the Governor withholds assent and the bill is again passed by two thirds majority, the bill shall become a law and the assent of the Governor shall not be required.”
He alleged that the governor had no intention of holding local government elections in the state, referencing the reasons provided by the governor for refusing to grant his assent.
According to the Speaker, “the key thing here is that this law removes the power of the Governor to appoint Caretaker Committee Chairmen for the Local Governments, the Governor is not happy that we’re removing his powers to appoint caretaker chairmen.”
Waffi TV reported that the political crisis engulfing Rivers State stems from a prolonged dispute between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, political mentor, and current Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The state descended into political chaos on October 29 and 30, 2023, when the House of Assembly chamber was set ablaze amid purported attempts to impeach Fubara.
At the heart of the extended conflict is Fubara’s claim that Wike misappropriated N9 billion from Rivers State funds, with a pledge to disclose additional cases of alleged corruption. In response, Wike declared his readiness for any confrontation.
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